I Spy

Despite solid and committed efforts to take care of myself, from time to time I cannot help but give over to certain urges, desires, and needs: Junk food, then.

Junk food which includes bad films and movies.

Films and movies so bad that you can't help but enjoy them. And why not? What else to do? You willingly paid good coin to sit and watch the dreck at hand, so. . . enjoy.

Which brings me, quickly, to the movie this time around: "I Spy".

A bad movie, this movie? Not really. 'Bad' would require several scenes of frontal female nudity and pointless attempts at humor stemming mostly from bodily functions and noises. Neither of which this flick has in needed amounts.

What this movies does have is a good sense of humor. Especially about itself. It knows, I suspect, it can't be taken seriously, so it doesn't even try. Instead, by way of the star, Eddie Murphy, it goes for the obvious. The obvious jokes based on Eddie Murphy's mile-a-minute banter and schtick that has long made him popular. The obvious humor stemming from the tried-and-true, which originated with the television series this movie is loosely based on. The obvious, which anyone who has seen a buddy movie knows by heart.

But not to worry. No need to get upset at paying to see this flick. Despite all this burden, like so much a lodestone about the neck, this bad movie is actually enjoyable.

With the reason for this being thus: Why not?

As already noted this movie knows it is bad, that it cannot be taken seriously, so throw caution to the wind, play the script for whatever it may be worth, and have fun. Enjoy.

Yes, I know: This is a remake by the numbers. Yes, I know: Both Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson (the Politically Correct and obligatory sidekick) could do so better when it comes to big screen acting roles. But this isn't and they didn't. So enough with the complaints already. Enjoy.

Enjoy what? How about this:

A lunkhead plot, a halfwit rendering of an otherwise possible plot, weighted down with cliches so old you honestly expect some guy in grease-stained coveralls to hurry into the scene from stage left to oil them;

The energy between Murphy and Wilson, who have a certain chemistry so enjoyable you want to see them again, albeit in a better and well-executed movie or film.

Speaking of the plot, how about a word or two about what passes for a plot herein: Murphy and Wilson play Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott. If you know the tv series you know who these individuals are. If you don't then you don't, so a brief explanation of same: In the series there was a white guy and a black guy. Murphy is actually playing the white guy, originated by Robert Culp, and Wilson is playing the black guy, originated by Bill Cobsy.

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